Samples-Plus-Synthesis Hybrid Synthesizer
User’s Guide Version 1.0 June 2018 Dave Smith Instruments LLC 1527 Stockton Street, 3rd Floor San Francisco, CA 94133 USA ©2018 Dave Smith Instruments LLC www.davesmithinstruments.
Tested to Comply With FCC Standards FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Table of Contents A Few Words of Thanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Chapter 1: Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 First Things First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Using the Main Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Sound Banks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mixer Parameters (Front Panel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Additional Mixer Parameters (Display Menu) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TAB 1 - Mixer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TAB 2 - Panning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modulation Parameters (Front Panel). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modulation Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Effects Parameters (Front Panel) . . . . . . . . . .
Using Sampled Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Selecting and Modifying a Sampled Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Layering Two Different Sampled Instruments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Bypassing the Low-pass Filter on Sampled Instruments. . . . . . . 101 Using Sample Stretch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Using the Prophet VS Waves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix A: Modulation Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Appendix B: Modulation Destinations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Appendix C: Alternative Tunings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Appendix D: Troubleshooting and Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LICENSE AGREEMENT By purchasing Sequential Prophet X, you accept the following product license agreement with respect to the “Samples by 8Dio” sample elements thereof and/or incorporated therein (“Samples”): 1. License Grant: The Samples in Sequential Prophet X are licensed, but not sold, to you by 8Dio, Inc. for commercial and non-commercial use in music, sound-effect, audio/video post-production, performance, broadcast or similar finished content-creation and production use.
A Few Words of Thanks Thank you for purchasing the Prophet X. The Prophet X is a powerful evolution of the Prophet series. Because we’ve added a new sound engine with sample playback, you’ve got all of the synthesis capabilities and great sound you’d expect from a Prophet, but now with the infinite possibilities of samples. What’s more, the new analog filter design in the Prophet X is not only fantastic for synth sounds, but does something special for the sampled instruments as well.
Chapter 1: Getting Started The Prophet X is an 8-voice stereo/16-voice mono, bi-timbral, hybrid digital/analog synthesizer that combines synthesis and sample playback. It has oscillators, filters, envelopes, LFOs, and other classic synthesizer components in addition to a 150 GB library of sampled instruments on its internal SSD drive. The SSD drive also provides 50 gigabytes of internal storage for importing additional samples from sample library developers.
First Things First You’re probably eager to power up your Prophet X and take a tour through its sounds. Here’s how to get up and running: Getting Started: 1. Plug the power cable into the AC power connector on the back panel of the Prophet X. 2. If you have a sustain pedal, connect it to the sustain jack on the back of the Prophet X. If you have an expression pedal, connect it to the pedal/ cv jack. 3. Turn on the Prophet X. (It takes few moments for the sound library to load.) 4.
Using the Main Display The most frequently used controls on the Prophet X are on its front panel. But there are many additional controls (as well as numeric display of values) visible in its main display. For example, adjusting a knob or switch in the Mixer section reveals the instrument level and oscillator level parameters in the display. The display also reveals additional parameters not found on the front panel such as panning.
Sound Banks The Prophet X contains a total of 1024 programs. Banks U1-U4 are user banks that can be overwritten. Banks F1-F4 are factory banks that are permanent. As shipped, user banks U1-U4 are identical to permanent factory banks F1-F4. Each bank has 128 programs (x 4 banks = 512 programs each). You can edit the programs of either bank, but you can only save them to user banks U1-U4.
Editing Programs Because the majority of the sound-shaping controls of the Prophet X appear on its front panel, editing an existing program is simple: turn a knob and listen to its effect. Keep turning knobs and pressing buttons. If you like what you’ve created, save the program. (See “Saving a Program” on page 7.) Any edits you make are made to Layer A. You can also edit Layer B if you want. To hear and edit Layer B: 1. Press the edit b layer button.
When editing a program, press to hear saved version for comparison Compare button It’s also useful to be able to check the value of a parameter for reference. Normally, to make a parameter value appear in the display, you have to turn the parameter’s knob — which will change the parameter value. But there is a way to do this without changing the value: To check the value of a parameter without changing it: 1. Press the show button. 2. Turn any parameter knob. The value appears in the display. 3.
Creating a Program from Scratch An existing program can be very useful as a jumping off point for new sounds. But it’s also useful (and educational) to create a new sound from scratch. The Prophet X makes this easy by providing a “basic preset” that you can quickly recall at any time. This preset is very simple, with a single oscillator as its basis. To recall the basic program: 1. Press the global button. 2. Use Soft Knob 1 to select basic program in the display menu. 3. Press soft button 1 (write now).
To save a program to a different location: 1. Press the save/load button. Its LED begins blinking. 2. Turn the bank or program knobs (or Soft Knob 1 and Soft Knob 2) to select a new location. You can only save to banks U1-U4. 3. Enter a name for the program using the appropriate Soft Knobs and Soft Keys. (See the illustration that follows for their functions.) 4. Press the save/load button again. Its LED stops blinking and the program is saved.
Comparing Before You Save Before saving a program to a new location, it’s a good idea to listen to the program in the target location to make sure you really want to overwrite it. To evaluate a program before you overwrite it: 1. Get ready to save by pressing the save/load button. It starts flashing. 2. Press the compare button. Its LED lights up. 3. Use the bank and program knobs to navigate to the sound you want to compare and play the keyboard to hear the sound. 4.
All factory programs have a “B” layer, even if that layer isn’t currently enabled. To hear Layer B in isolation, press the edit layer b button and disable stack or split (if active) by turning off the stack button or split button. Pressing edit layer b a second time enables Layer A again.
To turn on Stack mode: • If it’s not currently lit, press the stack button. The button becomes lit. The program on Layer B is stacked with the program on Layer A. Polyphony is halved since two voices are used per note. To turn off Stack mode: • If it’s currently lit, press the stack button. The button becomes unlit. Only the program on Layer A is heard. To edit Layer B: 1. Press the edit layer b button. Layer B editing is enabled. 2. Change any parameters to change the sound of Layer B. 3.
To swap Layer A and Layer B: 1. Press the edit b layer button. 2. Press Soft Key 3 (swap a > b). 3. Press Soft Key 1 to confirm. Layers A and B are swapped. Split Programs In split mode, playing a key on the left side of the keyboard will play the Layer A sound and playing a key on the right side will play the Layer B sound. Polyphony is allocated equally between the two sounds, with half of the available voices on Layer A and half on Layer B.
To create exactly the kind of split you want, sometimes you may need to swap the sounds on Layer A and B. To swap Layer A and Layer B sounds: 1. Press the edit b layer button. 2. Press Soft Button 3 (swap A< >B). The layers are now swapped. Exploring the Prophet X Before you explore the sound creation possibilities of the Prophet X, we’d like to point you toward a few things that will help you tailor it to your needs. The better you know it, the more you’ll get out of it.
Chapter 2: Prophet X Controls This chapter explains all of the controls on the Prophet X, section by section. As explained in Chapter 1, the most frequently used controls on the Prophet X are located on its front panel, with many additional controls (as well as numeric display of values) visible in its main display. For example, adjusting a knob or switch in the Mixer section reveals the instrument level and oscillator level parameters in the display.
Sample Playback The Sample Playback portion of the Prophet X provides 150 GB of factory-installed 16-bit, 48 kHz multi-sampled instruments. You can scroll through the instruments using the type and instrument knobs next to the display in the sample playback section. You can add an additional 50 GB of samples by purchasing sample libraries or importing your own. (User-created samples will be supported in a future software release.) You’ll need to download and copy them to a USB flash drive (USB stick).
Sample Playback Parameters (Front Panel) Group: Factory, User, Add-on—Hold down this button and turn the type knob to select between the permanent library of internal factory samples and sample libraries you have loaded in addition to the factory set — either user samples or samples purchased from sound developers. Instr 1: Pressing this button selects sampled instrument 1 for editing. Instr 2: Pressing this button selects sampled instrument 2 for editing. Type: Selects the overall instrument type.
Size: Adjusts the size of the looped portion of the instrument sample by moving both its loop start and loop end points. Center: Adjusts the location of the loop within the sample. The size of the loop stays the same, but its location within the sample (as defined by its center point) is moved when you adjust this control.
Additional Sample Playback Parameters (Display Menus) Additional Sample Playback parameters appear in the menus in the main display. To see these, press the instr 1 or instr 2 button in the Sample Playback section of the front panel. TAB 1 - Inst Tune Frequency C2 Fine Tune 0 Inst1 Pan 0 Sample Vel FREQUENCY FINE TUNE Tone KEY FOLLOW Inst1 Tune Inst1 Misc Inst1 Loop Inst1 Edit Frequency: C0...C10—Sets the base frequency of the instrument in semitones.
TAB 2 - Inst Misc Stretch Key Boost D3 0dB BOOST GLIDE RATE LPF BYPASS Inst1 Tune Inst1 Misc Inst1 Loop Inst1 Edit STRETCH KEY Glide Rate 0 LPF Bypass Stretch Key: C-2...G8—When Sample Stretch is on, this indicates which key/note (and its associated sample) is stretched. Changing the stretch key note value will change which sample is stretched (since each key typically has a different sample mapped to it). Boost: 0...
TAB 3 - Inst Loop XFade Rate 20 X FADE RATE Inst1 Tune Loop Mode Edit Sample Sample Vel EDIT SAMPLE SAMPLE VEL Inst1 Loop Inst1 Edit Regular LOOP MODE Inst1 Misc XFade Rate: 0...255—If loop is on for a sampled instrument, this controls the length of the crossfade between the loop start and loop end. Some sounds benefit from longer loops in order to smooth the transition between these points.
TAB 4 - Inst Edit Sample Start Loop Size Loop Center Sample End Start: 0 Center: 1000 Size: 499 End: 999 Inst1 Tune Inst1 Misc Inst1 Loop Inst1 Edit Sample Start: Sets the point within instrument samples that sample playback begins. Loop Size: Adjusts the size of the looped portion of the instrument sample by moving both its loop start and loop end points. Loop Center: Adjusts the location of the loop within the sample.
Oscillators Oscillators provide the raw building blocks of the Prophet X’s sound (along with the sampled instruments) by producing waveforms, each of which has its own inherent sound character based on its harmonic content. The Prophet X has two digital oscillators per voice. Oscillators 1 and 2 are capable of generating sine, sawtooth, pulse, and super sawtooth waves. You can vary the “pulse width” of these waveshapes using the shape mod parameter.
To audition the oscillators: 1. Press the global button. 2. Use Soft Knob 1 to navigate to the basic program command, then press Soft Key 1 (write now). 3. In the basic program, only Oscillator 1 is audible. (The level of Oscillator 2 is set to zero and Instruments 1 and 2 do not have an instrument selected.) 4. In the oscillators section, press the shape button to step through the various waveshapes. Sawtooth is selected by default. Notice that it is possible to select no waveshape. 5.
Oscillator Parameters (Front Panel) Shape: Sine, Sawtooth, Pulse, Super Saw —This button selects the waveshape generated by the oscillator. You can also turn the oscillator off by selecting no waveshape. Pitch: Sets the base frequency of Oscillator 1 or 2 over a 9-octave range from 16 Hz to 8 KHz (when used with the Transpose buttons). Adjustment is in semitones. The global master coarse and master fine settings affect the pitch of the oscillators. See “Global Settings” on page 119 for more information.
Try using the auxiliary envelope to sweep the pitch of Oscillator 1 when it is synced to generate the classic, hard-edged sync sound. Slop 1&2: 0…127 – Adds randomized detuning to the oscillators to emulate the tuning instability of vintage analog oscillators. This tuning instability is a big part of what made vintage instruments sound characteristically warm and fat. The oscillators in the Prophet X are very stable, and will not drift unless configured to do so.
Key Follow: Off, On—When Key Follow is on, the oscillator tracks the keyboard or note data received via MIDI. When off, the oscillator plays at its base frequency setting, though the pitch may be affected by modulation from other sources. TAB 2 Osc Shape Shape Shape Mod Pulse 0 Sync Wave Reset SHAPE SHAPE MOD SYNC WAVE RESET Osc1 Tune Osc1 Shape Osc1 Misc Osc Select Shape: Sine, Sawtooth, Pulse, Super Saw —This selects the waveshape generated by the oscillator.
Wave Reset: Off, On—(In the osc1 shape tab in the display) When Wave Reset is off, the Prophet X oscillators are free running. That is, the oscillators are running whether a note is being gated on or not. When the amplifier envelope is set for a fast attack, this can cause a soft, but detectable, pop or click at the beginning of a note because the note might be gated on at a point in the wave’s cycle other than a zero crossing. The first cycle to play might be truncated.
Mixer The Mixer section is where you set the levels of the various sound generators on the Prophet X. These include Instruments 1 and 2, which are sampled, and Oscillators 1 and 2, which are digital oscillators. You must turn up at least one of these sources in order to make sound with the Prophet X. (Alternatively, you can use the filter to generate its own sine wave by turning up resonance all the way so that it self-oscillates.
Additional Mixer Parameters (Display Menu) Additional Mixer parameters are accessible through the menus in the main display. To see these menus, adjust any control in mixer section of the front panel. TAB 1 - Mixer Inst 1 Level 60 Inst 2 Level 60 Osc 1 Level 20 Osc 2 Level 20 INST 1 LEVEL INST 2 LEVEL OSC1 LEVEL OSC2 LEVEL Mixer Panning Hack/Deci Env Amt LPF Misc Instrument 1 Level: 0...127—Sets the output level of Instrument 1. Instrument 2 Level: 0...
To create super-wide stereo synth sounds, pan oscillator 1 hard left (-64L) and oscillator 2 hard right (63R). TAB 3 - Hack/Deci Bit Hack 0 Decimate 0 BIT HACK DECIMATE Mixer Panning Hack/Deci LPF Misc Bit Hack: 0...15—Reduces the bit depth of the original 16-bit samples by a selectable number of bits, so that a value of 15 results in extremely coarse 1-bit fidelity. This has the effect of reducing fidelity and increasing “noisiness.
Filter The Filter takes the basic, raw sound of the samples and digital oscillators and subtracts frequencies, changing their harmonic content and the character of their sound. This change can be varied over time using the Filter Envelope to produce more dynamic, animated timbres. The Prophet X’s filter is a classic, 4-pole, resonant low-pass filter that can selfoscillate (generate a sine wave) when resonance is set to its maximum.
3. Return the cutoff knob to its halfway position, hold down a note again then turn the resonance knob about halfway up. Notice how the sound changes as a band of frequencies near the cutoff is amplified. 4. Rotate the filter’s cutoff knob again and listen to a classic resonant filter sweep. In the previous example, you controlled the filter cutoff by hand. In most cases, you will use the Filter Envelope to do this. To learn more about the Filter Envelope see page 37.
Additional Filter Parameters (Display Menus) Additional Filter parameters are accessible through the menus in the main display. To see these menus, adjust any of controls in Filter section of the front panel. TAB 1 - VCF ADSR Attack Decay Sustain Release A:25 D:36 S:52 R:44 VCF ADSR VCF Env Amt LP Filter LPF Misc Attack: 0...127—Sets the attack time of the envelope. The higher the setting, the slower the attack time and the longer it takes for a sound to reach its full volume.
TAB 2 - VCF Envelope Amount Amount Vel On/Off Delay Env Repeat Amt:71 Vel On/Off: On Del:24 Rept: Off VCF ADSR VCF Env Amt LP Filter LPF Misc Env Amount: -127...127—Sets the amount of modulation from the filter envelope to the filter’s cutoff frequency. Any setting above zero means that each time you strike a key, the filter envelope controls how the filter opens and closes. Higher amounts more dramatically affect the cutoff frequency. This control is bipolar.
TAB 3 - LP Filter Cutoff 28 Resonance 0 Drive 0 Key>LPF Freq 43 CUTOFF RESONANCE DRIVE KEY>LPF FREQ VCF ADSR VCF Env Amt LP Filter LPF Misc Cutoff: 0...164—Sets the filter’s cutoff frequency. Frequencies are reduced from the top down, cutting the high frequencies and passing the low frequencies, hence the name “low-pass.” Resonance: 0...255—Emphasizes a narrow band of frequencies around the cutoff frequency.
TAB 4 - LPF Misc Stereo Split Resonance Drive Key>LPF Freq VCF Env Amt LP Filter LPF Misc 0 Stereo Split VCF ADSR Stereo Split: +82... -82—This offsets the filter cutoff frequency between the Prophet X’s stereo filters. Turning the knob clockwise simultaneously increases the cutoff frequency in the left channel and reduces the cutoff frequency in the right channel.
Filter Envelope The Prophet X filter has a dedicated, 5-stage envelope generator (ADSR plus delay). The Filter Envelope is used to shape the harmonic characteristics of a synthesized sound by giving you filtering control over its attack, decay, sustain, and release stages. This is one of the most important aspects of designing a sound. Without an envelope, the filters would be completely static. They would stay open or closed by a fixed amount that wouldn’t change over the duration of a sound.
To hear the effect of the Filter Envelope: 1. Press the global button and use Soft Knob 1 to navigate to the basic program command, then press Soft Key 1 (write now). 2. Hold down a note and rotate the filter’s cutoff knob to set it to a value of 40 (refer to the main display to see its numeric value). 3. Play a note. At this point you probably won’t hear anything because you’ve closed the filter significantly. 4.
Envelope Parameters (Front Panel) Attack: 0...127—Sets the attack time of the envelope. The higher the setting, the slower the attack time and the longer it takes for the filter to open from the level set with the filter cutoff knob to the level set by the filter envelope amount. Percussive sounds typically have sharp (short) attacks. Decay: 0...127—Sets the decay time of the envelope.
Additional Filter Envelope Parameters (Display Menus) Additional Filter parameters are accessible through the menus in the main display. To see these menus, adjust any of the filter envelope controls in the envelopes section of front panel. The envelope parameters are in the first two menu tabs. TAB 1 - VCF ADSR Attack Decay Sustain Release A:25 D:36 S:52 R:44 VCF ADSR VCF Env Amt LP Filter LPF Misc Attack: 0...127—Sets the attack time of the envelope.
TAB 2 - VCF Env Amount Amount Vel On/Off Delay Env Repeat Amt:71 Vel On/Off: On Del:0 Rept: Off VCF ADSR VCF Env Amt LP Filter LPF Misc Env Amount: -127...127—Sets the amount of modulation from the filter envelope to the filter’s cutoff frequency. Any setting above zero means that each time you strike a key, the filter envelope controls how the filter opens and closes. Higher amounts more dramatically affect the cutoff frequency. This control is bipolar.
Amplifier Envelope After passing through the filters, a synthesized sound goes into an amplifier or VCA, which controls its overall volume. The amplifier has a dedicated, 5-stage envelope generator (ADSR plus delay). The Amplifier Envelope is used to shape the volume characteristics of a sound over time by giving you control over its attack, decay, sustain, and release stages. Along with the filter envelope, this is one of the most important factors in designing a sound.
release sustain decay attack amplitude delay time note on note off A typical 5-stage, DADSR envelope Amplifier Envelope Parameters (Front Panel) Attack: 0...127—Sets the attack time of the envelope. The higher the setting, the slower the attack time and the longer it takes for a sound to reach its full volume. Pads typically have softer (longer) attacks. Percussive sounds have sharper (shorter) attacks. Decay: 0...127—Sets the decay time of the envelope.
To create a “gated VCA” effect, set the env amount of the Amplifier to zero, route the LFO square wave to amp with an amount setting of 100% and hold a note. Velocity On/Off: On, Off—Allows key velocity to influence volume. If on, the harder you play, the more the louder sound will be. If off, key velocity will not affect the volume. This control allows for more touchsensitive sounds.
TAB 2 - VCA Env Amount Attack Decay Delay Env Repeat Amt:0 Vel On/Off: On Del:0 Rept:Off VCA ADSR VCA Env Amt Vol/Pan LPF Misc Amount: 0...127—Sets the amount of modulation from the Amplifier Envelope to the VCA. In most cases you will probably want to set this fully clockwise for maximum VCA volume. If you experience signal clipping, try reducing the env amount. Velocity On/Off: On, Off—Allows key velocity to influence volume. If on, the harder you play, the more the louder sound will be.
TAB 3 - Vol/Pan Prog Volume 127 Pan Spread 0 PROG VOLUME PAN SPREAD VCA ADSR VCA Env Amt Vol/Pan Prog Volume: 0...127—The master output level of the Prophet X is controlled by the front-panel volume knob. However, the volume of an individual program is set here. The program volume control is particularly useful for ensuring that your sounds have roughly the same volume from program to program. See “Master Volume/Program Volume” on page 75 for more details. Pan Spread: 0...
Auxiliary Envelopes The Prophet X has two additional 5-stage envelope generators (ADSR plus delay). They are useful for creating modulation that varies over time according to the shape of the envelope. Routing an envelope to an oscillator’s frequency, for example, causes the oscillator’s pitch to rise and fall according to the contour of the envelope. As with all of the Prophet X’s envelopes, there are controls for modulating the envelope amount using keyboard velocity.
Velocity: On/Off—This button enables keyboard velocity to modulate the Envelope Amount. Attack: 0...127—Sets the attack time of the envelope. Decay: 0...127—Sets the decay time of the envelope. Sustain: 0...127—Sets the sustain level of the envelope. Release: 0...127—Sets the release time of the envelope. Additional Auxiliary Envelope Parameters (Display Menus) Additional Envelope parameters are accessible through the menus in the main display.
TAB 2 - Env Amount Attack Decay Delay Env Repeat Amt:0 Vel On/Off: On Del:0 Rept:Off Env3 ADSR Env3 Amt Env3 Dest LPF Misc Amount: 0...127—Sets the amount of modulation from the envelope to the selected destination. Velocity On/Off: On, Off—Allows key velocity to influence how much modulation is applied from the envelope to the selected destination. If on, the harder you play, the more modulation will be applied. If off, key velocity will not affect the modulation amount.
Low Frequency Oscillators The four LFOs are special-purpose oscillators that produce a frequency that is typically below the range of human hearing (although these can actually extend into the audio range if set to their maximum frequency). The LFOs are typically used for periodic modulation such as vibrato (periodic pitch modulation) and tremolo (periodic amplitude modulation). They can also be used as modulation sources for any of the many modulatable parameters in the Prophet X.
Triangle Sawtooth Reverse Sawtooth Square Random 0 LFO waveshapes The LFOs can be free-running or synced to the arpeggiator, sequencer, or MIDI clock for tempo-synced effects such as filter sweeps, tremolo, and so on. LFO Parameters (Front Panel) Frequency: Sets the frequency of the selected LFO from a slow .022Hz to a fast 500Hz. This is affected by the clk sync (clock sync) parameter as explained below. Amount: Sets the amount of LFO modulation routed to the selected destination.
Additional LFO Parameters (Display Menus) Additional LFO parameters are accessible through the menus in the main display. To see these menus, adjust any of the controls in lfo portion of the front panel. TAB 1 - LFO Shape Shape Frequency Sync Amount Triangle Frequency SYNC AMOUNT LFO Shape LFO Control LFO Dest 40 6 Shape: Triangle, Sawtooth, Reverse Sawtooth, Square, Random—This button sets the waveshape of the selected LFO. Frequency: Sets the frequency of the selected LFO from a slow .
TAB 2 - LFO Control Slew Rate 0 Phase 0 Wave Reset SLEW RATE PHASE WAVE RESET LFO Shape LFO Control LFO Dest Slew Rate: 0...127—Slew rate is defined as the maximum possible rate of change of a signal. The effect of the Slew Rate control is most obviously heard on Pulse and Random, shapes that normally change state virtually instantaneously. As Slew Rate increases, those changes are drawn out, elongated, and the result is a sort of smoothing effect.
TAB 3 - LFO Dest Destination Osc All Freq DESTINATION LFO Shape LFO Control LFO Dest Destination: Routes the selected LFO to one of the many modulatable destinations within the synthesizer. You can also use the modulation matrix to route an LFO to additional destinations. There is a shortcut for routing an LFO to a front-panel destination (provided that the destination is a valid destination).
Modulation Although the overall sonic character of the Prophet X is determined by its samples, oscillators, and filters, much of its power to make truly unique sounds comes from creative use of modulation. Modulation is the process of routing one parameter (i.e. a control voltage) to another in order to change the way the targeted parameter behaves.
The Modulation section Modulation Parameters (Front Panel) Assign Source: Selects a modulation source. The are 28 different modulation sources. See “Appendix A: Modulation Sources” on page 130 for a complete list. Assign Destination: Selects a modulation destination. The are 88 differ- ent modulation destinations. See “Appendix B: Modulation Destinations” on page 131 for a complete list. Amount Sets the modulation amount. Modulation can be either positive or negative.
To use the mod wheel to add vibrato: 1. In the lfo section, set LFO 1 to triangle and set frequency to 75. Set destination to osc all freq. Set amount to 0. (You will control the amount with the mod wheel.) 2. In the modulation section, press the assign source button. Use Soft Knob 1 to scroll to Mod Slot 1 if it’s not already displayed. 3. Use Soft Knob 2 to scroll through the various mod sources and choose mod wheel 4. Use Soft Knob 3 to set the amount to 30. 5.
Other modulation ideas: • To create the “attack pitch blip” effect in classic synth brass sounds, dial up a good two-oscillator synth brass sound, then route Envelope 3 to osc2 freq and set Envelope 3 to Attack: 0, Decay: 30, Sustain: 0, and Release: 0 with an amount of 18. • Route an LFO to pan to create an auto-panning effect. Panning width is controlled by the modulation amount. Panning speed is controlled by the LFO frequency.
Effects: • Stereo Delay - classic digital delay • BBD Delay - vintage bucket-brigade emulation • Chorus - vintage chorus • Flanger - vintage through-zero flanger • Phaser - vintage 6-stage phaser • HP Filter - high-pass filter.
Effects Parameters (Front Panel) Effect 1: Turns effect 1 on or off. On stacked or split sounds, enable the edit layer b button to adjust effects for Layer B. Effect 2: Turns effect 2 on or off. On stacked or split sounds, enable the edit layer b button to adjust effects for Layer B. Effect Type: Selects the effect type. Select 1/2: Toggles between effect 1 and effect 2 for editing. Mix: 0...127—Sets the balance between the processed (wet) signal and unprocessed (dry) signal.
Parameter 1: Variable, depending on the effect—This knob adjusts parameter 1 for the chosen effect. Each effect has three adjustable parameters, which differ depending on the effect. Parameter 2: Variable, depending on the effect—This knob adjusts parameter 2 for the chosen effect. Each effect has three adjustable parameters, which differ depending on the effect. Parameter 3: Variable, depending on the effect—This knob adjusts parameter 3 for the chosen effect.
Arpeggiator The Prophet X’s arpeggiator allows you to hold a chord and the synthesizer will play a pattern based on the individual notes held. You can adjust the playback mode (up, down, random, etc.), the octave range (1, 2, or 3), and the tempo. The arpeggiator usually works best on sounds with a fast attack. While you hold down a chord, pressing any additional notes will add those notes to the arpeggio.
To use the arpeggiator: 1. Press the arpeggiator on/off switch to turn it on. 2. Hold down one or more notes on the keyboard. The arpeggiator plays them according to the settings you’ve chosen. 3. To latch arpeggiation on (so that you don’t have to continuously hold down notes) press the hold button. 4. In the display menu, adjust settings such as mode, octave range, repeats, and bpm. 5.
Additional Arpeggiator Parameters (Display Menus) Additional arpeggiator parameters are accessible through the menus in the main display. To see these menus, adjust any of the controls in arpeggiator section of the front panel. Relatch Arp Mode Octave Range Repeats Up+Down 1 Oct 0 RELATCH ARP MODE OCTAVE RANGE REPEATS BPM/Div Arp Seq The Arpeggiator menu Relatch: Off, On—Works in conjunction with hold.
Clock Parameters BPM: 30…250—Sets the tempo for the arpeggiator in BPM (beats per minute). The tap tempo LED flashes at the BPM rate. When lfo sync is enabled on the low-frequency oscillator, or clk sync is enabled in the Effects section, the BPM rate affects the LFO frequency and/or delay effect. When syncing to an external MIDI clock source, the BPM setting has no effect. Clock Divide—Selects a basic note value relative to the BPM.
Sequencer The Prophet X has a polyphonic sequencer for creating repeating patterns of notes and chords. You can play up to 64 steps with up to 6 notes held simultaneously per step. You can also add ties and rests to a sequence. Use the bpm, clock divide, or tap tempo controls to adjust the sequencer playback speed. For most sequences you’ll probably want to use sounds with a relatively sharp attack and short release.
Chord Note 1 Step Note Velocity 100 CHORD NOTE STEP 1 C5 Tie Rest Set Length NOTE VELOCITY The Sequencer menu To program a sequence: 1. Press the record button. 2. Perform the sequence on the keyboard. The display indicates the current step, note, and velocity as you play. You can also use the display to create/edit the sequence step-by-step.
To play a sequence: 1. Press play. Use the bpm, divide, or tap tempo controls to adjust sequencer playback speed 2. To stop playback, press play again. Alternatively, you can start and stop sequencer playback using a footswitch connected to the rear-panel sequencer jack or using MIDI start/stop messages sent from a DAW or other MIDI device. See “22. Seq Pedal Mode: Normal, Trigger, Gate, T-G—Selects the mode for the rear-panel sequencer jack.
6. To save the sequence, save the program by pressing the save/load button twice. Sequencer Parameters (Front Panel) Record: On, Off—This switch turns sequencer recording/editing on and off on the polyphonic sequencer. Play: On, Off—This switch starts and stops polyphonic sequencer playback. Additional Sequencer Parameters (Display Menus) Additional sequencer parameters are found in the menus in the main display. To see these, press the record button on the front panel.
Clock The clock section provides the master timing controls for the Arpeggiator and Sequencer. If you want to override the Prophet X’s master clock and use the clock from a DAW or other external controller, you will need to use the global menu to set the Prophet X to slave mode. To learn more about this, see MIDI Clock Mode on page 123. Clock Parameters (Front Panel) BPM: 30…250—Sets the tempo for the sequencer and arpeggiator in BPM (beats per minute). The tap tempo LED flashes at the BPM rate.
Unison When unison is on, the Prophet X functions like a monophonic synthesizer in that only one note can be played at a time. However, that one note can be powered by as many as 8 or 16 voices, depending on how many you choose to use (and whether you are in 8 or 16-voice mode). With many oscillators powering a single note, you can create some very dense, speaker-rattling sounds. If you want to create an ultraheavy synth bass or lead sound, try using Unison.
Unison Parameters (Display Menus) Unison parameters are found in the main display. To see these, press the unison button on the front panel. Unison On Mode 1 Voice UNISON ON MODE Keyboard Unison Detune 0 DETUNE Glide Glide Rate The Unison menu Unison On: On/Off—Enables and disables Unison. Mode: 1-8/1-16, Chord—Sets the number of voices stacked together. In 8-voice stereo mode, there are a maximum of 8 voices available. In 16-voice mono mode, there are a maximum of 16 voices available.
Using Chord Memory Unison has another useful feature: chord memory. Instead of assigning voices to a single note, hold down a chord on the keyboard and press the unison button. The Prophet X memorizes the notes of the chord. Single notes played on the keyboard will then trigger all notes of the stored chord, transposing them as you play up or down the keyboard. Try using this feature to create powerful chord stabs. If you save a program that uses chord memory, the chord is saved with the program.
Key Modes and Unison Mode Key Mode (sometimes called note priority) determines what note has priority when more than one note is played on the keyboard or via MIDI. • Low-Note Priority is most common in vintage synths and is often used for playing trills by holding a note and repeatedly tapping a lower note. • Low Retrigger causes the envelopes to be retriggered with each keystroke. • High Note and High Retrigger are similar to the low note settings, except that the highest note is given priority.
Master Volume/Program Volume The master output level of the Prophet X is controlled by the front-panel master volume knob. In addition, the volume of an individual program can be set with the prog volume parameter (in the amp envelope menu). This is useful for ensuring that your sounds have roughly the same volume from program to program. Unison sounds in particular can be very loud compared to other programs.
Transpose The up and down buttons in the transpose section transpose the keyboard up or down in octaves. The LED indicates the current keyboard transposition state. Transposing the keyboard also changes the MIDI note numbers of the keys so that MIDI notes sent are also transposed. Transpose settings are global and are not saved with individual programs. The Transpose controls Hold When hold is on, any notes played will continue to play until hold is turned off.
Glide Glide causes the pitch of a note to glide up or down from the pitch of the previously played note. Glide is turned on and off using the glide switch, but the rate must also be set. If the glide button is on, but rate is set to 0, glide has no effect. Glide can be set individually for each oscillator and, if sample stretch is enabled, instruments 1 and/or 2. If sample stretch is not enabled for a sampled instrument, Glide can’t be used with that instrument.
Glide Modes There are four modes that determine how glide behaves: Fixed Rate: The time to transition between notes varies with the interval between the notes; the greater the interval, the longer the transition time. The glide rate is fixed. This is the default glide mode. Fixed Rate A: The same as Fixed Rate, but glide is only applied when playing legato. That is, glide only occurs when a note is held until the next note is played.
16-Voice Mode The Prophet X can operate in either 8-voice or 16-voice mode. In many ways the synth is at its best in 8-voice mode because in 8-voice mode, the Prophet X has a stereo signal path with stereo filters. This results in a noticeable increase in richness and depth. In contrast, 16-voice mode doesn’t provide stereo filters (though the Prophet X’s digital effects still function in stereo).
Pitch and Mod Wheels The Prophet X has a spring-loaded Pitch wheel and a Mod wheel. You can use these controls to enhance live performance by bending notes and adding modulation in real time as you play. Pitch Mod The Pitch and Modulation wheels Pitch Wheel You can set a range in semitones for the pitch wheel, depending on your playing preference. The range is up to 12 semitones (1 octave). You can set different ranges for the upward bend and the downward bend.
Modulation Wheel The mod wheel controls the amount of modulation for any program that uses it as a modulation source. This allows you to “perform” modulation in real time by moving the wheel. This is a great way to add expressiveness to a sound or performance by using it to control vibrato, filter effects, and potentially a lot more. To choose a modulation destination for the Mod wheel: 1. In the modulation section, press the assign source button.
Touch Sliders The Prophet X has two position-sensitive touch sliders. Like the pitch and mod wheels, you can use these sliders to enhance live performance by adding modulation in real time as you play. Each slider serves as a modulation source, the value of which is determined by finger position. The touch sliders appear in the modulation matrix as Slider 1 and Slider 2. (See “Appendix A: Modulation Sources” on page 130.
To assign a slider to a mod destination: 1. On the front panel modulation section, press and hold the assign source button. 2. Touch slider 1. The mod matrix appears in the display and slider 1 position is assigned to an available modulation slot. 3. Turn Soft Knob 4 (destination) to choose a modulation destination. 4. Turn Soft Knob 3 (amount) to choose the maximum amount of modulation applied when the mod wheel is turned all the way up. 5.
To create a Play List: 1. Press the play list button. 2. Turn Soft Knob 4 to select set 1. 3. Turn Soft Knob 3 to select list 1. 4. Press Soft Key 1 to select the first position in the list. 5. Use Soft Knob 1 (bank) and Soft Knob 2 (program) to choose the program that you want. 6. Press Soft Key 2 to select the second position in the list. 7. Use Soft Knob 1 (bank) and Soft Knob 2 (program) to choose the program that you want. 8. Press Soft Key 3 to select the third position in the list. 9.
To export play lists as MIDI SysEx data, use dump all banks in the Global menu. All the play list data will be exported along with the bank data. To recall programs from a play list: 1. Press the play list button. 2. Turn Soft Knob 4 to select the Set you want (1-10). 3. Turn Soft Knob 3 to select the List you want (1-4). 4. Use Soft Keys 1-4 to choose the program you want within the currently selected Set and List.
Chapter 3: Programming the Prophet X With its large and expandable sample library and full synthesis capabilities, the Prophet X can produce a vast spectrum of sounds. While the factory programs give you some idea of its scope, if you only make use of its presets, you’re not really using the Prophet X to its full potential. The real excitement is in creating sounds that are uniquely your own.
Long Version for Those Who Like Explanations Here’s a more detailed version that provides insight into the process. You’ll start with the Basic Program, then learn how to choose an appropriate oscillator waveshape, how to use the filter, how to use the envelopes, and how to use Unison to fatten things up. In the Basic Program, only Oscillator 1 is audible. Its waveshape is set to sawtooth and its level is 127 in the mixer.
Next, you’ll use the filter to shape the raw sound of the sawtooth wave. To adjust the filter: 1. Press and hold down a key and turn the filter’s cutoff knob. Notice how it cuts the high frequencies as you rotate counter-clockwise, making the sound of the oscillator less bright. If you turn the cutoff knob fully counterclockwise you’ll filter out all frequencies and hear nothing. 2. Return the cutoff knob to its halfway position, play and hold a note again then turn the resonance knob about halfway up.
Be aware that the Filter Envelope and Amplifier Envelope work in conjunction, with the Filter Envelope controlling how the filter opens and closes and the Amplifier Envelope controlling the overall volume shape. To learn more about the Amplifier Envelope, see page 42. 5. The Filter Envelope’s release parameter acts in conjunction with the Amplifier Envelope.
Creating Stereo Synth Brass Here’s another easy-to-construct sound: synth brass, with a classic “pitch blip” effect on the attack. In this example you’ll learn how to pan the oscillators hard left and right to create an ultra-wide stereo spread, how to detune the super saw wave, and how to use an auxiliary envelope to modulate the pitch of oscillator 2 to simulate an aggressively blown horn effect. To create synth brass: 1. Press the global button. 2.
11. Set the auxiliary env amount to 40 and decay to 30. 12. Play some single notes and chords in the upper range of the keyboard. Classic synth brass! 13. Experiment with different auxiliary env amount and decay settings to fine tune the “pitch blip” effect. Turning the Synth Brass Sound into a String Pad It’s a simple matter to turn the previous synth brass sound into a string pad by simply adjusting its envelope and filter settings. To turn the synth brass into a string pad: 1.
Using the LFO to Sweep the Filter You can further enhance the string pad by using the LFO to sweep the filter. To sweep the filter: 1. In the lfo section, select lfo 2 and make sure its shape is set to the triangle wave. 2. With the LFO parameters shown in the main display, press Soft Button 3 to select the lfo dest menu tab, then use Soft Knob 1 to select cutoff. You can quickly assign the mod destination for LFO 2 by holding down the LFO 2 selector button and turning the Filter Cutoff knob.
5. Enable the sync 2>1 button. (See “Sync 2>1” on page 24 for an explanation of phase sync.) 6. Set the pitch of Oscillator 1 to C3. This will intensify the sync effect. 7. In the auxiliary envelope section, select envelope 3 and set its destination to osc1 freq. This routes envelope 3 to modulate osc 1 pitch according to its ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, release) settings. 8. Set the auxiliary env amount to 127 and attack to 23, decay to 60, sustain to 100, and release to 65.
Modulation Techniques There are endless ways to use modulation to enhance a sound. The modulation matrix has 16 freely assignable modulation paths (mod slots 1-16) with 28 modulation sources, 88 destinations, and 11 dedicated mod sources including the Mod Wheel, Pressure (aftertouch), Breath Controller, Velocity, and more. Here are a few useful techniques that you can apply to many sounds. The first uses the LFOs.
Creating Movement with Pulse-Width Modulation Another essential technique is to use an LFO to modulate the pulsewidth of the oscillator waveforms. This adds a great deal of movement and thickness and has long been used to create string pads. First, set up a simple square-wave sound. To create a basic string sound: 1. Recall the Basic Program. (See previous examples if necessary.) 2. In the Mixer, turn up Oscillator 2 to 127. (Osc 1 is already at 127.) 3.
6. With the LFO 3 parameters shown in the main display, press Soft Button 3 to select the lfo dest menu tab, then select osc2 shape with Soft Knob 1. 7. Set LFO 3 frequency to 72 and LFO 3 amount to 68. Note that these settings differ from those set for LFO 2/oscillator 2 8. Play some chords. Basic PMW string sound! To hear what a difference pulse-width modulation makes, remove it by turning the LFO amount parameter for both LFO 2 and LFO 3 to zero.
7. Use Soft Knob 2 to scroll through the various mod sources and choose lfo 3. 8. Use Soft Knob 3 to set the amount to -20. 9. Use Soft Knob 4 to scroll through the various mod destinations and choose cutoff R. 10. Hold a chord and notice how the sound moves as the cutoff frequency changes on the left and right channels of the filter. 11. Increase the filter resonance to make the effect more dramatic.
As oscillator 1 frequency-modulates oscillator 2, complex harmonics known as sidebands are generated. The number, frequency, and amplitude of the sidebands are controlled by changing the ratio of the modulator frequency (osc 1) to the carrier frequency (osc 2), as well as the amount of modulation. In other words, changing the pitch of either oscillator 1 or oscillator 2 will have a dramatic effects on the sound, and so will increasing or decreasing the amount in the mod matrix.
Using Sampled Instruments The internal sample library gives you a lot of variety to work with when you’re designing sounds. In some cases you may want to use the instruments as is, and just add effects as necessary. In other cases you may want to layer two different instruments to create something new and unexpected. And finally, you may want to completely mangle one or more instruments by modulating their loops and using all of the other synth functions that the Prophet X provides.
This example shows how easy it is to use the sampled instruments like you would use the Prophet X’s oscillators — as raw material to be shaped. This means that most of the synthesis techniques you learn can be applied to the sampled instruments, as well. Layering Two Different Sampled Instruments Another way to create something new and unique is to combine two different instruments. To combine two instruments: 1. Recall the Basic Program. (See previous examples if necessary.) 2.
Bypassing the Low-pass Filter on Sampled Instruments By default, sampled instrument are routed through the low-pass filter so that you can use it to shape their sound. In some cases, however, you many not want to filter an instrument so that you can sonically separate it from a second instrument, or from sounds created with the oscillators. This is a great way to combine synth-type sounds with sampled sounds and preserve the original sound of the sampled instruments without filtering.
Let’s start with a simple example, using the piano again: To use sample stretch: 1. Recall the Basic Program. (See previous examples if necessary.) 2. In the Mixer section, turn Instrument 2 level to 127. (Instrument 1 is already at 127 by default in the Basic Program.) 3. Turn Oscillator 1 level down to 0. ( It’s at 127 by default in the Basic Program.) 4. In the Sample Playback section, use the type knob to select piano. 5. Use the instrument knob to select the first piano (1928 grand near). 6.
Using the Prophet VS Waves Sample Stretch is particularly useful for stretching single-cyle waveforms across the keyboard, since they act like oscillators. You can create single-cycle waveforms out of existing samples by changing their loop size and making them as short as possible. (More on this later.) Included in the internal sample library are all of the single-cycle waveforms from the classic Sequential Prophet VS synthesizer from the 1980s.
Use the filter, envelopes, and effects to shape the sound: To modify the raw Prophet VS waveshape: 1. Set filter cutoff to 100 and filter resonance to 200. 2. Set filter env amount to 23 and set the filter envelope to attack 70, decay 76, sustain 0, and release 72. 3. Set the amp envelope to attack 110, decay 85, sustain 0, and release 71. 4. To add some chorus, press the effect 1 button. 5. Turn the effect type knob and select chorus. 6.
Manipulating Samples and Loops Another way to create something new from an existing instrument is to edit the sample itself, by changing its sample start, end, loop attributes, or reversing it. This applies the changes to all samples in the instrument. Not all samples in the internal library are looped. But you can activate a sustain loop in any sample/instrument by pressing the loop button (if it’s not already on) and adjusting loop attributes as necessary.
Changing Sample Start and End Points and Adding a Loop Another way to change the sound of a sample is to change its start and end points. To change a sample’s start or end point: 1. Recall the Basic Program and turn Oscillator 1 level down to 0. 2. In the Sample Playback section, use the type knob to select ethnic. 3. Use the instrument knob to select mandolin heavenly. 4. Play some notes and listen to the sample. It has a very strong attack. 5.
Making a Loop into a Single-Cycle Waveform Now lets manipulate the loop and turn it into a waveform similar to the Prophet VS waveforms we worked with earlier. When you are creating loops, there are three different loop modes: Regular, Pitched, and Sync. Pitched mode is most appropriate for creating single-cycle-type loops because the smallest loop setting in this mode is 32 samples and the loop size is always a multiple of the root pitch of the sample.
Creating ”Granular-Style” Loops You can also create interesting and unusual sounds by making short loops and modulating their center point to create granular synthesis-type effects. To adjust the loop: 1. Recall the Basic Program and turn Oscillator 1 level down to 0. 2. In the Sample Playback section, use the type knob to select piano. 3. Use the instrument knob to select 1928 grand near. Play some notes and listen to the instrument. 4. Press the loop button. This creates a sustain loop in the instrument.
Creating Longer Loops Seamlessly looping samples requires that you find an area in the sample where the volume and harmonic content remains relatively consistent. Then you have to adjust the loop size and loop center to use that area. If the loop is too short, it can make an instrument sound static. If it’s too long, there may be too much change in its loudness or harmonic content over the duration of the loop. It most cases you’ll need to adjust the length of the loop crossfade to smooth the transition.
Combining Samples and Synthesis When you combine sampled instruments with oscillators and other synth functions you can create instruments of considerable depth and richness. Here are a few examples. Blending Real and Synthesized Strings This example mixes similar sounds for a thicker result. To select sampled strings: 1. Recall the Basic Program. 2. For the moment, in the Mixer section, turn Oscillator 1 level down to 0. (We’re going to work with the sampled instrument first.) 3.
7. Enable filter touch sensitivity by pressing and enabling the velocity button. 8. In the amp envelope section, set the env amount to 127, the attack to 0, decay to 95, sustain to 0, and release to 35. 9. Enable volume touch sensitivity by pressing and enabling the velocity button. 10. Play a few notes and chords and listen to the instrument’s sound: a thicker string ensemble with the vigorous attack of the sampled instrument intact 11.
To change the sound further: 1. In the Filter section turn resonance down to 0. 2. In the Sample Playback section use the type knob to select perc tonal and use the instrument knob to select cowbell. 3. Play a few notes and chords and listen: a great percussive hybrid sound. To add a second sampled instrument: 1. In the Mixer section, turn Instrument 2 level to 70. 2. In the Sample Playback press the instr 2 button. 3. Use the type knob to select ethnic and use the instrument knob to select jaw harp. 4.
To simulate a stereo spread in 16-voice mode: 1. Recall a program that would benefit from 16-voice polyphony, such as a piano. 2. In the modulation section, press the assign source button. Use Soft Knob 1 to scroll to the first available mod slot. 3. Use Soft Knob 2 to scroll through the various mod sources and choose DC. Use Soft Knob 3 to set the amount to -64. Use Soft Knob 4 to scroll through the various mod destinations and choose pan. 4. Use Soft Knob 1 to scroll to the next available mod slot. 5.
Chapter 4: Connections/Setups This chapter explains the various connectors and connections that you can make to your Prophet X. It also covers the various parameters in the Global menu, how to save and load programs, how to update your operating system if necessary, and how to import add-on sample libraries. Rear Panel Connections The rear panel of the Prophet X has connectors for power, USB, MIDI, audio, and pedals. PROPHET 1 SAMPLE IMPORT 2 3 Prophet X Rear Panel 1.
SAMPLE IMPORT 2 3 4 5 6 VOLUME PEDAL/CV 7 8 B OUTPUT MAIN A OUTPUT 9 10 11 Prophet X Rear Panel 4. MIDI In, Out, and Thru—Standard 5-pin MIDI DIN connectors. 5. Sequencer—Accepts a momentary, normally open or normally closed footswitch to turn the sequencer or arpeggiator on and off. Alternatively, an audio signal connected to this jack can be used to either control sequencer/arpeggiator playback, or to gate the filter and amplifier envelopes while notes are held.
9. B Audio Outputs—Unbalanced, ¼ inch audio outputs. Connect audio cables to these jacks if you want separate stereo outputs for Layer B. If no cables are connected, Layer B is output on the Main A Outputs. 10. Main/A Audio Outputs—Unbalanced, ¼ inch audio outputs. These are the main stereo outputs for the synth. They carry Layer A and also Layer B if no cables are connected to the “B Audio Outputs” jacks. 11. Headphones—An ¼ inch stereo headphone jack.
Calibrating the Prophet X Because the Prophet X is calibrated at the factory, controls such as the Pitch and Mod wheels, Touch Sliders, and analog filters shouldn’t require re-calibration. However, if you experience unexpected behavior with these controls, you can use the built-in calibration function to tune them occasionally. Calibrating the Filters To calibrate the filters: 1. Press the global button. 2. Use the Soft Knob 1 to select calibrate filters, then press Soft Key 1 (start cal) . 3.
Resetting the Global Parameters If you’re trying to track down a problem, it’s sometimes a good idea to reset the Global parameters to their defaults. This is a quick way to make sure that the Prophet X returns to its factory settings. To reset all Global parameters to their default settings: 1. Press the global button. 2. Use the Soft Knob 1 to select reset globals, then press Soft Key 1 (reset now). Globals are reset. You can now can play the Prophet X again.
Programs can also be dumped directly from one Prophet X to another using the MIDI DIN jack, if the midi sysex cable parameter is set to midi in the global menu. To send a program or bank to another Prophet X as a SysEx file over MIDI: 1. Connect two Prophet X synthesizers together using MIDI cables and the midi in and midi out jacks on their rear panels. 2. On both synthesizers, press the global button and use Soft Knob 1 to select midi sysex cable, then use Soft Knob 3 to choose midi. 3.
Importing Programs and Banks You can use a MIDI librarian application such as such as SysEx Librarian for Macintosh, or MIDIOX for Windows to transmit exported program or banks back into your Prophet X. You will need a computer and an appropriate software application. To import a program or bank as a SysEx file over MIDI: 1. Connect your synthesizer to a computer using a USB cable (or MIDI cable, if you are using a dedicated MIDI interface). 2. Press the global button on your Prophet X. 3.
Formatting a USB Flash Drive In order to use a USB 3.0 flash drive (USB stick) to import add-on sample libraries or install new versions of the Prophet X OS, you will need to properly format the drive. Formatting the flash drive will erase any previously-recorded data on the drive. Formatting time will vary depending on the size of the USB flash drive. Larger drives take longer. To format a USB flash drive: 1. Insert the USB 3.0 flash drive into the sample import port on the rear panel of the Prophet X. 2.
To import additional samples: 1. If you haven’t done so already, format a USB 3.0 flash drive for use with the Prophet X. (See “Formatting a USB Flash Drive” on page 121.) 2. Download the samples/instruments onto the USB flash drive. 3. Insert the USB flash drive into the sample import connector on the rear panel of the Prophet X. 4. Press the global button. 5. Use Soft Knob 1 to select update library. 6. Press Soft Key 1 (update now). The add-on programs are imported to Banks A 1-4.
Global Settings The global menu is where you’ll find settings that apply to the synthesizer as a whole — in other words, settings that apply to the overall behavior of the synth. These include such things as master tuning, keyboard velocity curves, MIDI settings, Pitch and Mod wheel calibration, and more. To use the global menu: 1. Press the global button. 2. Use Soft Knob 1 to scroll through the list of parameters. 3. To set a selected parameter, turn Soft Knob 3 or press Soft Key 1, as needed.
5. MIDI Clock Cable: MIDI Port, USB—Sets the port, MIDI or USB, by which MIDI clocks are received. 6. MIDI Param Send: Off, CC, NRPN—Changes to the values of front panel controls are transmitted via MIDI as Non-registered Parameter Number (NRPN) controllers or as Continuous Controllers (CC). Transmission of parameters can also be turned off. See “Appendix E: MIDI Implementation” on page 140.
16-voice mode, the base channel controls voices 1-8 and the other channel controls voices 9-16, Notes, program changes, and other MIDI data received on the specified channels provide independent control of the two parts. Note that a program change needs to be sent to each of the two channels when setting up Multi Mode. Only Layer A of the selected program is loaded. There are no stacks or splits in Multi Mode. Use CCs or Layer A NRPNs for automation of parameters.
When set to relative, changes are relative to the stored setting. In Relative mode, the full value range is not available until either the minimum or maximum value and the respective lower or upper limit of the pot’s travel is reached. For example, the Resonance parameter has a value range of 0 to 255. Let’s say the physical position of the Resonance pot is the equivalent of a value of 100.
21. Filter Pedal Mode: Breath CC2, Foot CC4, Exp CC11, LPF Full, LPF Half—Selects the destination for pedal data received on the rear- panel filter jack. This allows you to use an expression pedal connected to this jack for either its default operation of controlling filter cutoff, or to control the amount of modulation sent to a destination chosen within the modulation matrix (via the pedal connected to this jack).
23. Sustain Polarity: Normal, Reversed—There are two types of momentary footswitches, normally open and normally closed. Either type can be used with the Sustain switch input. This setting allows you to accommodate both models in case yours behaves in a way that is the opposite of what you expect due to its polarity. (Sustain is on until the footswitch is pressed and then it turns off, which is the opposite of the expected behavior.
32. Reset Globals—Sets the global parameters to the factory default settings. 33. Dump Current Program—Transmits the current program in SysEx format via the selected MIDI port. Dumped programs will load back into the same location in memory when imported back into the synth via MIDI. 34. Dump Current Bank—Transmits the current bank in SysEx format via the selected MIDI port. (See MIDI Sysex Cable on page 124.
Appendix A: Modulation Sources Off Inst 1 Inst 2 Osc 1 Osc 2 LFO 1 LFO 2 LFO 3 LFO 4 Env LPF Env VCA Env 3 Env 4 Slider 1 Slider 2 Pitchbend Mod Wheel Pressure Breath Foot Pedal Expression Pedal Velocity Note Number Slop Osc 1 Slop Osc 2 Slop 3 Slop 4 Noise DC 130 Appendix A: Modulation Sources Dave Smith Instruments
Appendix B: Modulation Destinations Off Inst 1 Freq Inst 2 Freq Inst 1 Start Inst 2 Start Inst 1 End Inst 2 End Inst 1 Size Inst 2 Size Inst 1 Center Inst 2 Center Osc 1 Freq Osc 2 Freq Osc All Freq Osc 1 Shape Osc 2 Shape OscAll Shape Osc Slop Inst 1 Level Inst 2 Level Osc 1 Level Osc 2 Level Osc All Level Inst 1 Pan Inst 2 Pan Osc 1 Pan Osc 2 Pan Filter Cutoff Filter Resonance Filter Drive Prophet X User’s Guide Filter Cutoff L Filter Cutoff R VCA Pan Spread LFO 1 Freq LFO 2 Freq LFO 3 Freq LFO 4 Freq L
Appendix C: Alternative Tunings By default, the Prophet X is set to standard, chromatic western tuning. Additionally, it supports up to 64 additional alternative tunings, which you can access using the alt tunings parameter in the global menu. From the factory, the Prophet X ships with 16 preset alternative tunings ranging from Equal temperament to Indonesian Gamelan tunings. If you want, you can replace these with other tunings that you can find on the Internet. These must be in SysEx format.
6. 19 Tone Equal Temperament 19 notes per octave (19root2) offering better thirds than 12 ET, a better overall compromise if you can figure out the keyboard patterns. 7. 31 Tone Equal Temperament Many people consider 31root2 to offer the best compromise towards just intonation in an equal temperament, but it can get very tricky to keep track of the intervals. 8.
12. Other Music 7-Limit Black Keys in C Created by the group Other Music for their homemade gamelan, this offers a wide range of interesting chords and modes. C=1/1 (261.625 Hz) 1/1 15/14 9/8 7/6 5/4 4/3 7/5 3/2 14/9 5/3 7/4 15/8 13. Dan Schmidt Pelog/Slendro Created for the Berkeley Gamelan group, this tuning fits an Indonesianstyle heptatonic Pelog on the white keys and pentatonic Slendro on the black keys, with B and Bb acting as 1/1 for their respective modes.
16. Harry Partch 11-Limit 43 Note Just Intonation One of the pioneers of modern microtonal composition, Partch built a unique orchestra with this tuning during the first half of the 20th century, to perform his own compositions. The large number of intervals in this very dense scale offers a full vocabulary of expressive chords and complex key changes. The narrow spacing also allows fixedpitched instruments like marimbas and organs to perform glissando-like passages.
Appendix D: Troubleshooting and Support Troubleshooting If you’re experiencing problems or unexpected behavior from your Prophet X, here are a few typical scenarios and their solutions: If the Prophet X isn’t producing sound:. 1. Recall the Basic Program by holding the Transpose down button and pressing the hold button. 2.
If the Prophet X is behaving erratically. • This is almost always caused by a MIDI feedback loop. Make sure that any MIDI Thru functionality is turned off on the MIDI interface/hardware or in the MIDI software application. Disconnect all the Prophet X’s MIDI connections (MIDI and USB cables) and see if the problem persists. You can also monitor the MIDI traffic with MIDI Monitor (Mac OS) or MIDI-OX (Windows) to see if the Prophet X is being overrun with duplicate messages.
Contacting Technical Support If you are still having a problem with the Prophet X, contact Technical Support at support@davesmithinstruments.com. Please include the purchase date of your Prophet X, its serial number, and the operating system versions: Main, DSP, and FPGA. (Press the global button to see these at the bottom of the main display.) If you haven’t already reset the Global parameters and run the calibration routines (see Troubleshooting), you should do it before contacting Technical Support.
Prophet X User’s Guide Appendix D: Troubleshooting and Support 139
Appendix E: MIDI Implementation The Prophet X receives MIDI data according to the settings you have chosen in globals. In addition, there is interaction between some of the program parameters that determine the overall response of Prophet X to MIDI data. These are the globals parameters that affect response to MIDI: MIDI Channel: All, 1…16—Selects which MIDI channel to send and receive data, 1 to 16. All receives on all 16 channels.
MIDI Control: Off, On—When set to On, the synth will respond to MIDI controllers, including pitch wheel, mod wheel, pedal, and volume. MIDI Prog Enable: Off, On—When set to On, the synth will respond to MIDI Program Change messages. MIDI SysEx Cable: MIDI, USB—When set to MIDI it will receive and transmit MIDI SysEx messages using the MIDI ports/cables When set to USB it will receive and transmit MIDI SysEx messages using the USB port/cable.
Received Controller Messages Status Second Third Description 1011 nnnn 0000 0001 0vvvvvvv Mod Wheel: directly assignable controller 1011 nnnn 0000 0100 0vvvvvvv Foot Controller: directly assignable controller 1011 nnnn 0000 0111 0vvvvvvv Volume: Combined with Master Volume and Program Volume 1011 nnnn 0100 1010 0vvvvvvv Brightness: Added to filter cutoff frequency 1011 nnnn 0010 0000 0vvvvvvv Bank Select: 1 - 4 select user banks 1 - 4; 5 - 8 select factory banks 1 - 4; 9 - 12 select a
Transmitted Controller Messages Status Second Third Description 1011 nnnn 0000 0001 0vvvvvvv Mod Wheel 1011 nnnn 0000 0010 0vvvvvvv Breath Controller: When assigned to Pedal/CV 1011 nnnn 0000 0100 0vvvvvvv Foot Controller: When assigned to Pedal/CV 1011 nnnn 0000 1101 0vvvvvvv Expression: When assigned to Pedal/CV 1011 nnnn 0000 0111 0vvvvvvv Volume: When assigned to Pedal/CV 1011 nnnn 0100 1010 0vvvvvvv Brightness: Assigned to Pedal/CV 1011 nnnn 0010 0000 0vvvvvvv Bank Select
Additional Continuous Controllers Transmitted/Received The following table details how MIDI Continuous Controllers (CCs) are mapped to Prophet X controls. They are transmitted when MIDI Param Send is set to CC, and recognized/received when MIDI Param Receive is set to CC.
NRPN Messages The Non-Registered Parameter Number (NRPN) MIDI messages are used to transmit and receive both global and program parameters. They are transmitted when MIDI Parameter Send is set to NRPN in globals, and received when MIDI Parameter Receive is set to NRPN in globals. The messages are handled in standard MIDI format using the NRPN CC commands in running status byte format. Below is the format used for transmitting a NRPN parameter.
Received NRPN Messages Status Second Third Description 1011 nnnn 0110 0011 0vvvvvvv NRPN parameter number MSB CC 1011 nnnn 0110 0010 0vvvvvvv NRPN parameter number LSB CC 1011 nnnn 0000 0110 0vvvvvvv NRPN parameter value MSB CC 1011 nnnn 0010 0110 0vvvvvvv NRPN parameter value LSB CC 1011 nnnn 0110 0000 0xxxxxxx NRPN parameter value Increment 1011 nnnn 0110 0001 0xxxxxxx NRPN parameter value Decrement 1011 nnnn 0010 0101 0111111 RPN parameter number MSB CC - Reset NRPN paramet
Global Parameter Data The table shows the global data sent and received on global parameter dumps, and corresponding NRPN number when sent/received individually.
Program Parameter Data The following table lists Prophet X’s program parameters.
NRPN Layer A NRPN Layer B Value Description 151 2199 Osc2Shape 0-4 152 2200 Osc2ShapeMod 0-127 153 2201 Osc2GlideRate 154 2202 155 156 NRPN Layer B Value Description 198 2246 FX2Sync 0-1 199 2247 FX2SyncRate 0-10 0-127 202 2250 EnvFilterAmt 0-254 Osc2NoteReset 0-1 203 2251 EnvFilterVelOn/Off 0-1 2203 Osc2KeyOnOff 0-1 204 2252 EnvFilterDelay 0-127 2204 Osc2Pan 0-127 205 2253 EnvFilterAtt 0-127 161 2209 OscSlop 0-127 206 2254 EnvFilterDec 0-127 162
NRPN Layer A NRPN Layer B Value Description 245 2293 Env4LoopOn/Off 0-1 250 2298 Env3Dest 251 2299 Env4Dest 252 2300 253 NRPN Layer B Value Description 291 2339 LFO4Sync 0-1 0-88 292 2340 LFO4Dest 0-88 0-88 293 2341 LFO4FreqSync 0-15 LFO1Freq 0-255 294 2342 LFO4Slew 0-127 2301 LFO1Amt 0-254 295 2343 LFO4NoteReset 0-1 254 2302 LFO1Shape 0-4 296 2344 LFO4Phase 0-127 255 2303 LFO1Sync 0-1 300 2348 Mod1Source 0-28 256 2304 LFO1Dest 0-88 301 234
NRPN Layer A 327 NRPN Layer B Value Description 2375 Mod12Amt 0-254 NRPN Layer A NRPN Layer B Value Description 360 2408 UnisonMode 0-16 2419 KeyMode 0-5 328 2376 Mod13Amt 0-254 371 329 2377 Mod14Amt 0-254 372 2420 PitchbendRange 0-12 330 2378 Mod15Amt 0-254 373 2421 0-12 331 2379 Mod16Amt 0-254 PitchbendRangeDown 332 2380 Mod1Dest 0-88 386 2434 BPM 30-250 333 2381 Mod2Dest 0-88 387 2435 ClockDivide 0-12 334 2382 Mod3Dest 0-88 388 2436 ArpOnO
Control NRPN Data The following table lists the Prophet X’s control NRPN data. It is received and transmitted but not saved as part of a program. NRPN 4188 Value Description 0-1 Seq Play/Stop SysEx Messages Universal System Exclusive Message (Device Inquiry) Status Description 1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx) 0111 1110 Non-realtime message 0vvv vvvv If MIDI channel is set to 1 - 16, 0vvvvvvv must match (unless MIDI Channel = ALL); always responds if 0vvvvvvv = 0111 1111.
Request Program Dump Status Description 1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx) 0000 0001 DSI ID 0011 0000 Prophet-X ID 0000 0101 Request Program Transmit 0000 00vv Bank Number, 0 - 7 0vvv vvvv Program Number, 0 - 127 1111 0111 End of Exclusive (EOX) The Prophet X will respond by sending out the program data in the format described below in Program Data Dump.
Request Global Parameter Dump Status Description 1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx) 0000 0001 DSI ID 0011 0000 Prophet-X ID 0000 1110 Request Global Parameter Transmit 1111 0111 End of Exclusive (EOX) The Prophet X will respond by sending out the current values of the global parameters in the format described in Global Parameters Data Dump.
Playlist Data Dump Value Description 1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx) 0000 0001 DSI ID 0011 0000 Prophet-X ID 0101 1100 Playlist Dump 0vvv vvvv 300 bytes for playlist data 1111 0000 End of Exclusive (EOX) Global Parameters Data Dump Value Description 1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx) 0000 0001 DSI ID 0011 0000 Prophet X ID 0000 1111 Main Parameter Data 0vvv vvvv 50 nibbles (LS then MS) for 25 Global parameters 1111 0111 End of Exclusive (EOX) The Global Parameters Data Dump is
Packed Data Format Data is packed in 8 byte “packets”, with the MS bit stripped from 7 parameter bytes, and packed into an eighth byte, which is sent at the start of the 8 byte packet.
Prophet X User’s Guide Appendix E: MIDI Implementation 157
158 Appendix E: MIDI Implementation Dave Smith Instruments
Prophet X User’s Guide Appendix E: MIDI Implementation 159
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